1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pressing cloth and more particularly to a piece of textile material of a selected length and width adapted for releasable engagement on the surface of an ironing board, to protect a garment or the like during the pressing operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the operation of pressing or ironing garments using a heating element, conventionally known as a "iron", to protect the garment from scorching or otherwise adversely affecting the surface texture of the garment by covering the garment with a piece of textile material. The textile material serves as an insulating medium preventing direct contact of the heated surface of the iron with the garment. The heat from the iron is transferred through the pressing cloth to the garment, but the surface of the garment is not scorched or the surface of the garment is not pressed leaving a shiny surface appearance.
A well known method of preventing scorching of a garment during the ironing process is the use of a pressing cloth in the form of a loose piece of material, which is of a convenient size, having the desired length and width to cover a portion of the garment as it is being ironed. The pressing cloth is moved to the desired position during the ironing process to serve as a contact barrier between the iron and the garment.
A well known disadvantage of this type of pressing cloth is the fact that the cloth must be separately handled when not used. It is not conveniently available on the ironing board. Because the pressing cloth is independent of the ironing board, the size and shape of the pressing cloth is limited so as to be easily handled. Thus it is generally reduced in size in relation to the surface of the ironing board and must be continually moved on the surface of the garment as the pressing operation progresses. Movement of the pressing cloth requires the operator of the iron to maintain contact with the pressing cloth as the iron is maneuvered, as well as move the garment into position. This can be cumbersome and inconvenient operation that prolongs the ironing operation.
Efforts have been made to improve the basic concept of a pressing cloth, principally to increase the efficiency of maintaining the pressing cloth in position on the ironing board. Swiss Pat. No. 200,642 illustrates a device with reinforced edge portions which serve to stablize the pressing cloth.
A Dutch Pat. No. 87,310 discloses an improved pressing cloth designed to overcome the disadvantage of utilizing wires for the purpose of retaining the original shape of the pressing cloth. The pressing cloth includes a piece of material having a lower surface covered by gauze, which is stitched to the material, along a seam extending around the peripheral of the material. The gauze consists of a netting of thick, elastic thread. In this manner the gauze is resilient so as to permit stretching of the ironing cloth so that the cloth will slide on the supporting gauze during pressing. Even though the gauze is bendable, it is not permanently deformed.
While it is known to use a pressing cloth for ironing operations, and even though improvements have been made to the conventional ironing cloth, the conventional ironing cloth and improvements thereto do not resolve the problem of facilitating secure positioning of the ironing cloth on the ironing board when in use during a pressing operation and when not in use. Therefore, there is a need for an ironing cloth that is readily adaptable for positioning on an ironing board for both periods of use and when not in use but available to the operator without inconvenience.